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35th Night in Tirana
Thousands of Albanians again took to the streets in Tirana on Saturday for the 35th night in a row, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, constitutional reform, and an end to corruption.
“A massive demonstration was held for the 35th night in a row”
The Associated Press said demonstrators marched along Tirana’s main boulevard toward Skanderbeg Square while chanting “New Albania” and “Edi Rama, resign.”
The protests began over a luxury coastal resort development project in a protected natural area linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, but evolved into broader anti-government and anti-corruption protests.
Media images described tens of thousands of people marching, and the AP said there was no independent verification of the number of protesters.
After protesting for about two hours, a large group marched to a police station, demanding the release of people arrested during Thursday’s protest near parliament, and protesters broke the windows while police responded with a water cannon.
Court Frees 19
A court in Albania’s capital Tirana freed 19 protesters detained during a violent protest against a resort linked to US President Donald Trump’s family.
One of their lawyers told reporters the protesters were held on suspicion of “refusing to obey police orders, organising illegal demonstrations and disturbing public order”.
Al Jazeera reported that two of the freed protesters would be placed under house arrest and 12 must report to the judicial police once or twice a month, while the remaining five would face no charges.
Dozens of supporters who gathered outside the court chanted “Free the boys” and greeted the announcement with cheers.
Al Jazeera said protests had been ongoing since May and escalated last Thursday when hundreds rallied outside parliament for the second time in a week, with police using tear gas, pepper spray and water cannon to disperse them.
Symbolism and Demands
The rallies in Tirana have been marked by symbolism, including a tall bust of Rama erected and later toppled with the help of a rope, a gesture reminiscent of the February 1991 toppling of the statue of communist dictator Enver Hoxha.
“Since Saturday’s protest coincided with Rama’s 62nd birthday”
The AP said since Saturday’s protest coincided with Rama’s 62nd birthday, some protesters carried “birthday cakes” made of cement and there was also an ironic “happy birthday” song for Rama.
Protesters also carried pink flamingo balloons, and the demonstrations have long been dubbed “the pink flamingo revolution.”
In a BBC account of the movement, a young protester named Helena said, “I’m here for our schools,” and she added, “I’m here for our hospitals, I’m here for our infrastructure, I’m here for my family that's outside [Albania], and wanted to be here.”
The BBC said the pink migratory birds became the symbol of Albania’s nightly rallies because they flock to Narta Lagoon, a protected area near the coastal city of Vlora, where international investors including Jared Kushner want to develop a luxury resort and where fencing and bulldozers have been seen on site.